I'd Know You Anywhere

By: Laura Lippman

Narrated by: Linda Emond

Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

The acclaimed New York Times bestselling author returns with a new stand-alone novel—a powerful and utterly riveting tale that skillfully moves between past and present to explore the lasting effects of crime on a victim's life....I'd Know You Anywhere

Eliza Benedict cherishes her peaceful, ordinary suburban life with her successful husband and children, 13-year-old Iso and eight-year-old Albie. But her tranquility is shattered when she receives a letter from the last person she ever expects—or wants—to hear from: Walter Bowman. There was your photo, in a magazine. Of course, you are older now. Still, I'd know you anywhere.

In the summer of 1985, when she was fifteen, Eliza was kidnapped by Walter and held hostage for almost six weeks. He had killed at least one girl and Eliza always suspected he had other victims as well. Now on death row in Virginia for the rape and murder of his final victim, Walter seems to be making a heartfelt act of contrition as his execution nears. Though Eliza wants nothing to do with him, she's never forgotten that Walter was most unpredictable when ignored. Desperate to shelter her children from this undisclosed trauma in her past, she cautiously makes contact with Walter. She's always wondered why Walter let her live, and perhaps now he'll tell her—and share the truth about his other victims.

Yet as Walter presses her for more and deeper contact, it becomes clear that he is after something greater than forgiveness. He wants Eliza to remember what really happened that long-ago summer. He wants her to save his life. And Eliza, who has worked hard for her comfortable, cocooned life, will do anything to protect it—even if it means finally facing the events of that horrifying summer and the terrible truth she's kept buried inside.

©2010 Laura Lippman (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Perfect storm of dysfunctional characters

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Frustration that none of the characters behaved with sense or honor. Wanted to go through the iPod and slap them.

Any additional comments?

Main character is an emotionless victim manipulated by an obvious sociopath who is befrended by a delusional prisoner advocate and represented by a stuptefyingly naive attorney. Throw in the embittered mother of another victim stalking the main character and a husband who is totally ok with his wife installing a dedicated phone line to allow phone calls from death row to their home - REALLY??? No one in this scenario inspired me to root for them. Tied up at the end with an unbelievable flash of self awareness making everything ok, and suddenly all's right with the world. Right.

Major Disappointment from a Great Talent

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I'm not sure why so many people have apparently enjoyed this lame psychological non-thriller from a true master of the suspense genre. I found the motivations of the central character totally implausible, the slowly revealed situation underwhelming and the characters other than the lead cardboard and wooden--especially the absurdly clueless female foil.

Would you ever listen to anything by Laura Lippman again?

I had other Lippman stand-alones on my wish list. They are no longer there.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narration was the one saving grace of this audiobook--something of a miracle given the paucity of interesting material to read.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

The book was a major disappointment. I have come to expect so much more from this writer. We all have a bad day once in a while, but how many days did it take to write this misstep?

Predictable

I felt this book was a waste of my hard earned money. It was preachy and somewhat predictable. Though it would seem insane for someone to want to go see a killer and rapist you knew that was where the story was leading. I hope this isn't based on a true story. Anyone who would consent to receive calls from this derelict has to be alittle touched.

Oh come on...

I liked the story. I really did. I kept building this tense feeling knowing there was going to be this explosion of madness and life or death struggle.. the victim becoming the triumphant..I knew it!! Imagine my dismay when the train I was riding on, just pulled the brake instead of falling off the bridge. I was disappointed so much in the ending that I am still grieving for the story that could have been. The characters were decent for the most part. Still wondering why the husband and the 2 children were even in the story, because at the end.. they had nothing to do with nothing. At all. Even the trouble with her daughter had nothing to do with anything. Thinking on it.. why was anyone else in the story beside Eliza and Walter? I expected more from such a good premise. I'm telling you not too. The high reviews, well, I'm not sure what they are based on. I am glad they got more out of it than I did. The ending blows it for me. Linda Emond is great tho. She was the best about it. Mediocre at 2 1/2.

Really disappointing

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A completely different plot.

What was most disappointing about Laura Lippman’s story?

I had high expectations for the plot because I read an article in which Stephen King had recommended this novel. However, the plot never really developed. The ending was just a detail that really was meaningless in the context of the book.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Linda Emond?

Yes, the narrator was fine.

What character would you cut from I'd Know You Anywhere?

Having a child named

Any additional comments?

I listen to several books per month. I only take the time to write a review when a book is particularly good or particularly bad. This was of the latter sort. Frankly, I am surprised that I got all the way through it. I may not have if my player had not allowed me to listen to the last 3/4 of the novel at double the normal speed.

skip this one

I agree with the readers who gave this a poor review. After I started listening to it, I thought it might have been downloaded by one of my kids a s a school assignment. The narration was described by one reader as sophmoric and I could not agree more. The plot development was a complete bore and not engaging at all.

I'd Know You Anywhere

I was very disappointed in this book. I had never read this author and based on all the reviews I bought it. I was very disappointed. There was way to much time spend on every detail of her kids and not enough about the plot. This book could have been completed in about 5 hours and not 10 hours

Disappointed

The reader did a very good job. But... the story was strange and the plot moved slowly.

Well read, terribly slow plot

I was very disappointed in this book. It starts out very powerful, well read, characters well developed. But somewhere in the middle, the plot is lost to a mom dealing with everyday mom struggles. ( *yawn* boring ) I kept anticipating this BIG ending with a huge surprise- It was a huge letdown. No surprises, no twists, no turns. Do not read this if you are expecting a mystery.

Would have been a better short story

I really enjoyed Laura Lippman's book. What the Dead Know, and this was similar, but slower. I tried hard to care what happened to this middle-aged housewife/mother, but the story was so slow to unfold, that I gave up.